Local Citizens Declare Victory Over Proposed Rainbow Flag Bans In California, New Jersey, Florida

Groups Work with Gilbert Baker Foundationand ACLU to Fight Rising Tide of Anti-LGBTQ Legislation

"These bullies are full of hot air, " - Charles Beal, Pres. GBF

New York City (May 8) - There has been an alarming rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation on the community level across America. These measures have included Rainbow Flag bans, book bans, attacks on trans and non-binary students, school curriculum takeovers, and language shaming, disproportionately harming the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans. Since 2022, more than 20 communities and school departments across America, bowing to right-wing group pressure, have passed regulations to remove all Rainbow Flags.

But defenders of free speech have risen up in defiance across the country, working closely with the Gilbert Baker Foundation's dynamic Save the Rainbow Flag campaign. The foundation provided support on legal and tactical matters to local groups who recently claimed victory over local homophobic legislation.

On April 24, community members in the small town of Solvang, California, converged on a town council meeting to challenge a Rainbow Flag ban made in February. The Foundation had been supporting Matthew Cavalli in planning to confront town officials. After a heated two-hour public debate, the ban was overturned, by a vote of 3-2.

On April 25, citizens in Sparta Township in New Jersey attended a township council meeting to speak against plans to ban the Rainbow Flag from public display. After a tense debate of several hours, the council members voted 3-2 to fly the Rainbow Flag during Pride Month for a week in June.

The "Save the Rainbow Flag" campaign offers a dynamic tool kit to help push back against flag bans. At www.savetherainbowflag.com, concerned citizens will find fact sheets and tactics on attending community hearings, conducting media interviews, petitioning, and mobilizing neighbors. An Open Letter from the American Civil Liberties Union cites legal precedents on why banning the Rainbow Flag violates existing laws.

"Bullies are full of hot air - and people seeking to ban the Rainbow Flag offer flimsy legal arguments," said Charley Beal, president of the Gilbert Baker Foundation. "If more people would push back against these unpatriotic people, we could stop this wave of hatred currently plaguing our country. The Gilbert Baker Foundation is here to support all citizens committed to protecting First Amendment rights."

For more information about The Gilbert Baker Foundation, visit gilbertbaker.com. Founded in 2019, the Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that honors the legacy of artist-activist Gilbert Baker (1951=2017), creator of the original Rainbow Flag, through a series of cultural and educational initiatives.

The American Civil Liberties Union is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.

Save the Rainbow Flag campaign links:

Save the Rainbow Flag Tool Kit
https://gilbertbaker.com/save-the-rainbow-flag-toolkit/

Map of Flag Ban battles
https://gilbertbaker.com/save-the-rainbow

History of Rainbow Flag creator
www.gilbertbaker.com

ACLU tracking LGBTQ legal challenges
https://www.aclu.org/legislation-affecting-lgbtq-rights-across-country-2021